Modeling the Functions of Atmospheric Carbon

Authors

Keywords:

mathematical modeling, linear functions, regression

Abstract

For thousands of years, there was a gradual increase of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere. Students can model the historical data using linear functions. Then they can learn about climate change in the modern era by using a combination of exponential and periodic functions to explore carbon’s multi-faceted variation, distinguishing the recent trend (exponential) from the seasonal variation (trigonometric).

Author Biographies

Samuel Otten, University of Missouri

Samuel Otten is an associate professor of mathematics education at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. He has hosted the Math Ed Podcast for 10 years and he conducts research focused on students' reasoning-and-proving and teachers' professional development in algebra.

Andrew Otten, Northview Public Schools

Andrew Otten is an 8th grade math teacher and one of the building team leaders at Northview Public Schools. He completed his undergraduate degree at Grand Valley State University and received his master's degree from University of Missouri. Currently, he is working to include standards-based grading as a component for the key standards at each grade level.

Faustina Baah

Faustina Baah is a doctoral student in mathematics education and a graduate research assistant at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Currently, she is interested in exploring feminist methodologies to understand female students’ perspectives on their mathematics instruction.

Maria Nielsen Stewart, University of Missouri

Maria is a doctoral student in mathematics education and a graduate research assistant at the University of Missouri in Columbia. She was an Algebra I teacher for three years in Ohio. Currently, she is interested in understanding the experiences of beginning mathematics teachers and ways to support them in learning to teach mathematics.

References

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (n.d.) Global atmospheric CO2 concentration. Our World in Data. https://tinyurl.com/global-atmospheric-CO2

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2022, May 31) NASA science enables first-of-its-kind detection of reduced human CO2 emissions. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/for-the-1st-time-nasa-spots-short-term-drops-in-co2-emissions-from-human-activity

National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. (2010). Common core state standards for mathematics.

Neelin, J. D. (2010). Climate change and climate modeling. Cambridge University Press.

Ohio Department of Education. (2018). Ohio learning standards. https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/OLS-Graphic-Sections/Learning-Standards

PhET Interactive Simulations. (n.d.) Greenhouse effect. University of Colorado - Boulder. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/greenhouse-effect/about

Shepardson, D. P., & Hirsch, A. S. (Winter 2019-2020) Teaching climate change: What educators should know and can do. American Educator. https://www.aft.org/ae/winter2019-2020/shepardson_hirsch

Teacher’s Climate Guide. (n.d.) Climate change and mathematics. Retrieved October 27, 2021 from https://teachers-climate-guide.fi/mathematics/

Downloads

Published

2024-04-11

How to Cite

Otten, S., Otten, A., Baah, F., & Stewart, M. (2024). Modeling the Functions of Atmospheric Carbon. hio ournal of chool athematics, 96(1), 1–9. etrieved from http://voyager.janeway.systems:9999/index.php/OJSM/article/view/9562

Issue

Vol. 96: Spring 2024

Section

Articles

License

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